Law Codex of Virú

[Virú 112]

 

 

 

 

We, the High Council of Virú, residing within the lands generously granted by the High Kingdom of Idunia, acknowledge our current status as a community in reconstruction and as vassal subjects under the protection and ultimate authority of the Crown of Idunia.

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In this new continent and the new age it will usher in, we seek to provide a legible, understandable, and comprehensive law codex, that will guide this generation of Virúvians, and those that come after us.

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These guidelines are hereby created to maintain internal order, preserve our enduring cultural identity, and promote the well-being of all within our community, while remaining fully compliant with and fundamentally subordinate to the laws and decrees of the High Kingdom of Idunia and its Crown.

 

First Edition Written by Dante Fontesar
Second Edition Written by Evangeline Mara Salazar

Approved by the Council of Virú

Approved by the Crown of Idunia

 

The Laws of Harren can be found here.

 

Section 1: Citizenship

 

All people living within the territory of Virú are hereby recognized as citizens of Virú, and are subjects of the Idunian Crown. 

• Those who have committed traitorous acts against the Council, the Citizens of Virú or the High Kingdom of Idunia must appeal for citizenship to one of the Council Members.
• Those who have been exiled from Virú or Idunia must similarly appeal for citizenship.
• Those who lie outside these requirements can similarly apply through a Council Member, should they wish to own property within the territory of Virú, or if they wish to become a member of the community.

 

Any members of Virú are: 

• free to roam the publicly-owned grounds of Virú with the guarantee of protection.
• free to speak their mind without fear of being silenced by force unless said speech is deemed as advocating for violence or dissent.
• free to act as they will within their property as long as they are not causing harm to any member of Virú, nor to the Realm in general.
  • Construction and alteration to land within Virú must be presented to and approved by the Council.

 

Citizens are also required to participate in Virú’s recurrent census to keep all information accurate and consistent. Any occupation should be recorded.

 

All members of Virú are subject to the rulings and laws of the Kingdom of Idunia and its various courts. 

• While in most civil and criminal cases, citizens will answer to the Council, they are also necessarily bound by and subordinate to the authority of the Idunian Crown. 

 

Any able-bodied members of Virú, who are between the ages of 10 and 15, are required to conscript to the Cadette Program for education and training. 

• No member of the Cadette program is allowed to engage in active battle, save for a pre-approved non-dangerous training regimen or in cases of self-defense. 

 

All able-minded members, who are in good standing, of Virú may be promoted to sit at Virú’s council, but must first be nominated by a Council member who intends for the nominated figure to be their future replacement, at which point the Council will convene and approve or reject the nomination requiring a majority of 3 votes in either direction to pass. 

• Any given Citizen can be nominated up to 5 times, with a necessary waiting period of 4 Saints’ Weeks between each nomination. 
• After a citizen has been unsuccessfully nominated 5 times, they will no longer be considered viable for nomination, though an appeal can be made to the Council in cases in which a role must be filled and there are no other viable candidates.

 

Section 2: Governance

 

Virú will, upon the ratification of this document, be governed by the Council of Virú, consisting of 5 members, who serve until death or retirement, of which include: 

• The Lord/Lady Paramount of Virú
• The Legislador
• The Embajadora
• The Tesorero 
• and the Capitán of the Levy. 

 

The Legislador is tasked with: 

• Overseeing criminal cases as the primary judge of the land. 
  • In cases of high importance, the Legislador may be asked to take on an advisory role while theLord/Lady Paramount steps in as the given case’s primary arbiter.
• Reviewing Virú’s political and legal mechanism and presenting amendments to the Council for consideration. 

 

The Embajadora is tasked with: 

• Acting as Virú’s ambassador, speaking on behalf of Virú in negotiations outside of Virú. 
  • In matters of grave importance, the Embajadora may be asked to take on an advisory role while the Lord/Lady Paramount steps in as a given diplomatic meeting main diplomat. 
• Acting as Virú’s main line of communication with the Idunian Crown.
• Facilitating cross-community event planning.

 

The Tesorero is tasked with: 

• Ensuring the timely and proper payment of tax from all owned land within Virú’s territory, alerting and announcing the arrival of the collection of Taxes. 
  • In the case that a landowning citizen or family does not pay their taxes on time, the Tesorero may allow for an extension. 
    • In the case of repeated delay, they hold the power to evict those aforementioned landowning citizens or families who do not pay their taxes on time. 
• Paying the proper Vassal tax to Idunia, overseeing Virú’s markets, and facilitating economic plans that are approved by the Council.

 

Any Council member found to be acting against the interests of Virú and its people, or otherwise found to be neglecting their duties, may be expelled from their position through a majority vote of the Council itself.

 

Section 4: Leadership

 

The Lord/Lady Paramount of Virú will be chosen through a system of designated succession, in which the sitting Lord/Lady Paramount may select, from the various prominent families of Virú, their heir. 

• This heir can be whomever the sitting Lord/Lady Paramount deems worthy to lead in the case of their death.
• In the case that the chosen or designated heir is deemed unworthy by the Council, the Council may convene to vote on the matter, in which case a majority is needed to reject the chosen heir; much in the same way that a council member is chosen and rejected.
• The heir must be a born Virúvian, and current citizen in good standing.
• The heir must be at least 15 years old and under 100 years old. 

 

The Lord/Lady Paramount of Virú, having been properly chosen by their predecessor and approved of by the Council, begins their tenure on the day of the previous Lord/Lady Paramount’s death or retirement.

• While the Lord/Lady Paramount leads, the members of their immediate family will receive the titles of ‘Lord’ and ‘Lady’.

 

The Lord/Lady Paramount of Virú bears significant responsibilities, which include:

• The reception of and response to petitions from the people of Virú. 
• Possessing the exclusive power to assume control of any judicial proceeding, diplomatic negotiation, or public event, with a relevant Council member acting in an advisory capacity.
• Issuing official announcements to the people of Virú.
• Presiding over the Council of Virú.
• Proposing legislative amendments alongside the Legisladors.
• Managing the treasury alongside the Tesorero.
• Providing orders and leading the Levy alongside the Capitán.
• Organizing social events with the help of the Courts. 

 

In the unlikely scenario that a sitting Lord/Lady Paramount is deemed unfit to rule by the Council, they must hold a Court of Demotion. In this Case, the Council, save for the accused Lord/Lady Paramount, will preside over testimony that proves that the Lord/Lady Paramount was either: 

• Tyrannical
• Absent
• Unable to effectively perform their duties. 

To officially demote the sitting Lord/Lady Paramount, a Council vote must receive a majority.

 

Section 5: Order

 

With the understanding that this force will not act as a sitting army or offensive military, the Orden de Francisco will be utilized to enforce order and protect Virú and its Liege Nation of Idunia. At its head, the Capitán will oversee and command conscripts to effectively ensure the safety of Virú. 

• All recognized families of Virú must have at least one member at any given time to be a part of the Orden de Francisco

 

The aforementioned Cadette program will operate as an offshoot to the Orden, with the Capitán providing oversight and assistance to the education of Virú's next generation of defenders. The Cadette program will consist of two separate sects, Training and Education, with the Capitán tasked with hiring both a Head Instructor and a Principal under the approval of the Council. 

• The Head Instructor will be tasked with ensuring the proper training and physical development of the children involved in the Cadette program, teaching them proper fighting technique, combat strategy, and general survival skills. 
• The Principal will be tasked with ensuring the proper education and mental development of the children involved in the Cadette program, teaching them fundamental topics like math, spelling, reading, etiquette, first aid, and history. 

 

Upon turning 15, a cadette will be asked to undergo a final examination that is proctored by both the Head Instructor and Principal, at which point they will no longer be required to train or take classes and be presented with the option to join the Orden de Francisco at the lowest rank or enter the workforce of Virú.

• Graduates of prominent families are only presented with the option to join the Orden or become a Civil Servant.

 

Section 6: Conduct

 

The following is a list of those actions by any member of Virú that, if committed on territory belonging to Virú or in such a way that affects the people and/or Virú as a whole, will be duly punished as prescribed below. Any person, figure, or entity, whether citizen or non-citizen, that knowingly commits these actions will be tried within Virú’s justice system, as overseen by the Legisladors. 

 

• Those crimes known as “Crimes against Persons” include but are not limited to murder, assault, kidnapping, and harassment. Virú recognizes the necessity for self-defense in certain cases, though unprovoked violence, if proven in court, is unacceptable. 

 

• Those crimes known as “Crimes against Property” include but are not limited to thievery, burglary, and arson. As per the importance of the rights to land and property of our people, no person (whether citizen or non-citizen) must infringe upon those rights.

 

• Those crimes known as “Crimes against Order” include but are not limited to indecency, disruption of ceremony, and disorderly conduct. As per the importance of the protection of peace within the territory of Virú, that same peace must be protected for the sake of order and serenity. 

 

• Those crimes known as “Crimes against the State” include but are not limited to sedition, treason, and assassination. Virú recognizes the need for free expression, granted that the expression does not harm that which keeps the territory in order. Any attempts made by anyone of Hyspian descent to restore the Hyspian Kingdom or royal family will be viewed as such a crime.  

 

• Those crimes known as “Crimes against Family” include, but are not limited to, neglect and abandonment. Virú recognizes that schedules can be conflicting, though circumstances in which a family head neglects to choose a regent during complicated times are unacceptable.

 

• The Laws of Idunia apply to all citizens and territories of Virú.

 

Section 7: Cultural and Civility

The following list of laws applies to civil and cultural cases, such as courtship, racial equality, and cultural preservation. The cultural identity of Virú is of utmost importance to its residents, and there are various laws to protect it.

 

• No citizen of Virú may be treated differently or more severely punished for their race, nor falsely accused of a crime on the basis of race.
• No citizen under the age of 15 may be courted, and no citizen under the age of 18 may be married. Attempting to do so will result in appropriate reprimand or punishment for the offending party; based on severity and repetition of the act.
• Furthermore: No citizen under the age of 18 may be pestered, coerced, or otherwise asked about courting if they do not wish to engage in such topics. This is mostly to prevent any form of coercion or extortion related to courtship.
• No citizen of Virú may be denied their cultural heritage, or prohibited in participating in their cultural identity, so long as said identity is not harmful to the people, order, or Council of Virú.

Familial Law

 

This section of the codex applies specifically to the major peerage and noble families of Virú, and any that wish to apply for peerage. At the time of writing, there are:

 

House Leomonte

House Salazar

House De Trastamara

And House Mondblume

Peerage and nobility families are not exempt from standard Virúvian laws, and will be punished for any crimes committed just as any non-nobility citizen would be.

 

Article I: Qualifications

 

To qualify for the status of a peerage family, the family in question must;

 

• Live within Virú for a minimum of 12 years.
• Have 5 or more active members.
• Be sponsored or nominated by another family.
• Show to be a valuable asset to the community.

 

They may then apply to the council to be elevated to peerage status. Elevation of status requires a majority council vote.

 

To retain peerage status, the family in question must also:

 

• Continue to support the community by hosting one event every 4 years.
• Have an active member in the military.
• Have an active member in the government or courts.
• Swear loyalty to the Lord or Lady of Virú.
• Retain 5 or more active members of the family. (The council may grant temporary exceptions to this in cases of exemplary service)

 

Should these guidelines be met, and the family chose to rise to peerage, the family will become eligible to be nominated for council positions and Lordship of Virú; as well as have a voice in the development, maintenance, and decision making of Virú. With this in mind, all families must follow a set of strict laws to keep their peerage or nobility status. Failure to do so will result in appropriate penalties and possible removal from peerage, or banishment; depending on what is deemed suitable by the council.

 

Article II: Loyalty

 

The family must remain loyal to the head of said family, with only the Lord or Lady of Virú being above them. 

 

Members of a peerage family must ask the head for permission to marry, or to leave Virú. Failure to do so or mutiny against the head may result in the revocation of their name and titles and all permission to use them, under penalty of death.

 

Article III: Succession

 

The heir of the family is chosen by the current head, who may elect anyone, with some exceptions, within the family. The Lord or Lady of Virú retains the authority to veto the head and anoint someone else should they think it necessary. 

 

The heir may not be a convicted criminal by the laws of Virú and its liege lords. They must keep their family name, and whoever they marry must take on the family name as well. 

 

The position of familial head may not pass to someone married into the family, or someone adopted into the family.

 

Each family must have a designated or apparent heir. If not, the Lord or Lady of Virú holds the right to nominate someone until a suitable heir is found.

 

If the head is convicted of a crime, they are liable to be removed by the council. If the council otherwise believes the head to be unsuitable, they may remove them with a majority vote.

 

If the head is a part of the council and is being subjected to a vote, they may not vote. Tie breaks will go to the court chamberlain. 

 

Article IV: Land

 

A peerage family is entitled to their own land and manor with which to do as they please, so long as it follows Virúvian laws. However, taxes will still be applicable, with a minimum of 50 mina per year, and a 10 mina increase per additional person within the house, to a maximum of 120 mina per year.

 

Peerage families are still liable for being evicted if they do not pay their taxes. If a peerage family leaves Virú, they are liable to have their titles and special permissions revoked on a case by case basis. 

 

Article V: Titles

 

Any peerage family may become a noble family, at which point they may use the title “Lord” or “Lady.” A peerage family may use the titles of “Dama” and “Don.”

 

If a family abandons Virú in times of war, vows loyalty to another nation, or commits treason against the Lord or Lady of Virú, they will be banished in addition to having their titles revoked; under penalty of death. If said family has their banishment overturned, they will be barred from applying for peerage or nobility status again during the lifetime of the offending parties.

 

A family head retains the right to disown any member of the family, in which their titles and special privileges within Virú will be revoked. These decisions may be overturned by a majority council vote.

 

Signed by,

Her Ladyship, Lady Anacleta Paqar Leomonte, Lady Paramount of Viru and Knight of the Realm

 

Legislador, Dama Evangeline Mara Salazar

 

Edited November 6, 2025 by Virú